Topic: Igenex results back - Babesia - I knew it! Questions-
johnnyb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7645
posted
Wish I had gotten the positive and treatment back in 2003. Considering I've had air hunger and chills so much, I kept suspecting Babs, but until I did the new Igenex FISH test and checked for more strains, I always came up negative.
What is the most common treatment for Babesia?
Is Babs like lyme, where its almost impossible to lose it, or can you eradicate it and then move on to just worrying about lyme relapses?
Thanks, everybody!
- JB
[ 20. June 2008, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: johnnyb ]
Posts: 1197 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jul 2005
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CaliforniaLyme
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posted
Once you have had Babesiosis, you can never give blood again, let's put it that way!! Remission, not eradication... The Red Cross has lifetime exclusion for Babesiosis.
I believe you should be able to stay on IM Bicillin while treating Babs, but double check with doc as always, but believe that's just fine.
Mepron & zithromax is common treatment. I did mepron & Zith for 2 years, artemisia added in for the last year of that. I am the longest treating Babs person I know but I also have a history of malaria and could have been dealing with more than Babs.
Quinine has nasty side effects often so Mepron, malarone are more commonly used. Lariam is the cheapest but can trigger psyche side effects so many docs avoid it-
Babesiosis treatment has a muddiness to it often, long plateaus & lulls are common.
Herxes are often very hard and obvious, nightmares, palpitations, headaches, etc.
But it is great to have it gone*)!*)!*)!!
There is some evidence that active Babs can predispose one toward cancer- oncogenic viruses live longer in the body that has Babs- and Babs can trigger TBE viruses by making the body more acidic- so getting rid of babs is great on many levels!!!
Congratulations!!! I got rid of MANY things with Babs treatment that I had not realized WERE Babs- like residual arthritis in my hands!!! Gone ever since Mepron, bless mepron!! mepron is bright yellow and you tend to either hate it or lvoe it. I loved it, tastes like mushy bananas!!
Best wishes, Sarah
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
I think at least some strains of babs may actually be impossible to
get
rid of (there's no lifetime exclusion on account of Lyme, BTW.)
What are your symptoms, just out of curiosity?
And others folks,
DO all strains sequester in the tissues?
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posted
I took Mepron and Biaxin. I believe they can be taken with Bicillin.
Now I'm on Lariam just to be sure it stays in remission. I don't know how long I'll continue on it.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Vermont_Lymie
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Member # 9780
posted
Yes, I stayed on the lyme abx (high dose amoxy) while taking malarone for babesia. I believe that you can continue using bicillin with babesia treatment.
Posts: 2557 | From home | Registered: Aug 2006
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lymednva
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posted
I was just scanning Dr. B's guidelines recently and looked at the suggested Babs treatment protocols.
In his opinion the best combo is Mepron, Biaxin(clarithromycin) and artemisinin.
I am on that protocol and it has hit me hard, but I am finally seeing briefer herxes and less fatigue.
As always, follow the advice of your LLMD. Of course, I find that being an informed patient doesn't hurt.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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disturbedme
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posted
Johnny -- How much was the FISH test? What is it, exactly? Is it just a co-infection test? I had a Fry one done earlier and only got Bartonella back positive (though I have had Babesia symptoms), and possibly soon in the future I want to do another test to see if anything else comes back positive.
Thanks!
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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johnnyb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Insurance won't cover it, and its $500!
I think it tests for more strains of Babs, and its more accurate, but I can find out more when I see my LLMD tomorrow to discuss results.
[ 20. June 2008, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: johnnyb ]
Posts: 1197 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jul 2005
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savebabe
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Member # 9847
posted
I took mepron, biaxin, septra and art for babs.
I would highly recommend taking septra with your treatment immediately. It was the only drug that finally cleared my babesia. I now test neg on all my tests.
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
Johnny - Nope, I go to my LLMD in Maryland area.
I was just curious about the test so I can ask my LLMD if I should have it done. Thanks for the info!
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
I took Mepron and Ketek together for 7 months. I tolerated the Mepron well and made great strides. I HATED the taste and it affected my appetite I really had to think about eating while I was treating Babs. I ended up losing a bit of weight. I was never hungry.
-------------------- Lucy Posts: 342 | From Hawaii | Registered: Nov 2005
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CaliforniaLyme
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posted
I read an abstract that said that WA1 Babs phylogenetically was so close to the type of malaria that sequesters in the liver and has a liver stage that they thouht it must as well- but they have just begun to really study Babs!!!
WA1 and Microti are VERY different though- WA1 is way more lethal-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by CaliforniaLyme: I read an abstract that said that WA1 Babs phylogenetically was so close to the type of malaria that sequesters in the liver and has a liver stage that they thouht it must as well- but they have just begun to really study Babs!!!
WA1 and Microti are VERY different though- WA1 is way more lethal-
the other thing to realize is that wa-1, and probably several other strains, bear much closer resemblance to animal babesias which hesee known to be chronic and cause more brain symtpoms.
you never really used to hear about these things and my guess is that the explosion of deer pops and the explosion of the ticks in combo with chernobyl-level bioweapons accidents has led to these diseases manifesting in humans.
Posts: 523 | From Stillwater,OK,USA | Registered: Sep 2004
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